Make the Most of Parent-Teacher Conferences

The first round of parent-teacher conferences in a school year can inspire a lot of emotions from teachers, especially new teachers, that can range from anticipation to stress to downright fear. However, there are practical ways to prepare for these meetings that will help new teachers feel prepared, calm and even excited to have these crucial conversations with the families they serve.

Strategies to Help Foster Meaningful Student Engagement

Student engagement is a broad concept that plays a key role in effective learning. According to the Glossary of Education Reform, student engagement refers to “the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to their motivation to learn and progress in their education.” This highlights how complex student engagement can be, especially today when numerous factors contribute to engagement and disengagement.

Gratitude in the Classroom: 5 Reasons I'm Thankful to Be a Teacher

During this time of year, as the days get shorter and the weather turns colder, I begin thinking about all the reasons that I have to be thankful. I think about my family, my friends and even the opportunities I have been able to have this year.

‘Be nice.’ Program Aims to Help Boost Student Mental Health

In my 12 years of teaching high school mathematics, I have taught in three different school districts, leaned into three different communities, taught over 1,800 students and partnered with so many amazing parents. In this time, one thing has become very evident – our students benefit by being seen as the whole student.

3 Tips to Help Make Grading Easier

In this month’s vlog, Michigan Teacher of the Year Kelley Cusmano explains tips and strategies that can help secondary teachers with their efficiency in grading.

Rekindle the Love of Reading for Secondary Students

When working to build and celebrate the readers in your classroom, there are two key components to being successful: time and choice

Building a Thinking Classroom with Data Science

In a world increasingly driven by data, one of the most critical skills we can teach our students is how to interpret and analyze data.

3 New Year’s Affirmations for Teachers

Instead of a New Year’s resolution, it may be more beneficial to think of a powerful, goal-oriented word that we can use to ground ourselves as the school year continues on.

Work Avoidance and Refusal in the Middle School Classroom

When a child is communicating that they can’t or won’t do their work, you are often up against something deeper than work ethic. Here are some ways to help them.

4 Ways to Increase Student Leadership Programs in Your School

One of the topics I am most passionate about is the importance of student leadership programs.

The Transformative Power of Outdoor Education in Addressing Teacher Challenges

Outdoor education not only enhances the learning experience but also addresses many of the challenges that weigh on the hearts and minds of educators around the country.

4 Ways to Help Students Prepare for Standardized Testing

As winter snow days turn into March slush and spring sunshine, a secondary teacher’s year begins to pivot towards what we refer to as “testing season.” In Michigan, these tests consist of the PSAT and SAT.